More with video:
Republican campaign says she was attacked by a mugger who became enraged after seeing a John McCain bumper sticker on her car last night.
According to police, the 20-year-old woman said she was robbed at an ATM at the corner of Liberty Avenue and Pearl Street in the Bloomfield area around 9pm Wednesday after leaving a Republican phone bank.
The woman told police that the suspect, described only as a dark-skinned African-American man about 6’4”, stole $60 from her and became enraged after seeing a bumper sticker supporting Republican Presidential Candidate John McCain on her car.
The woman said the suspect punched and kicked her before knocking her the ground.
The McCain camp tells KDKA that the victim is a 20-year-old Republican from Texas.
According to a campaign spokesperson, after seeing her bumper sticker supporting McCain, the suspect said, ‘Oh you’re with McCain, you’re with the McCain campaign? I’m going to teach you a lesson.’”
After repeatedly hitting, kicking and threatening the woman, the McCain camp says the suspect carved a “B” in her cheek for “Barack” Obama.
According to the police report, the officer confirmed that he “observed the wound on the right side of [her] face.
The unidentified woman reportedly declined immediate medical attention last night but said she would go to the hospital today.
The suspect ran off after the attack; but police are hoping that footage from bank surveillance camera may help lead them to the suspect.
In an official statement the McCain campaign says: “We’re shaken up by this. It’s sick and disgusting.”
Governor Sarah Palin reportedly spoke with the victim by phone.
Meanwhile, late this afternooon, the Obama-Biden campaign released a statement, saying: “This is a horrendous act of violence. Our thoughts and prayers are with the young woman for her to make a speedy recovery, and we hope that the person who perpetrated this crime is swiftly apprehended and brought to justice.”
http://kdka.com/politics/McCain.Campaign.Worker.2.847449.html